“The tackle position is an important position,” Ireland said. “It’s an important position. But I feel like we have some flexibility. There are some options out there. I have some things up my sleeve that might work out. We’re going to have to fill the need probably with a veteran guy on the street at some point.”

So the Dolphins aren’t done looking for someone to protect Ryan Tannehill.

I would be perfectly happy with Winston, Albert’s at least 3 million more expensive, coming off injuring, and wants to play left tackle. I didn’t think Jonathan Martin was terrible on the left, he has a year of experience with NFL speed and has been preparing to play on the left. A Pro Bowl LT is not necessary for a playoff run. (see jake long’s tenure).

Haha I hope Ireland has huge sleeves. Gonna take more than a 2nd I’d think now. Dolphins have nothing at the OT spot wile the chiefs pleasantly have a top 10(even if its more toward the 10) and now eric Fisher.

It will probably happen…with all the new weapons around Tannehill…..if he doesn’t have time to throw…what good are they!
Rumors of Winston as well…but that would mean they are comfortable with Martin at LT (but I don’t think that is the case).

You can bet Jeff Ireland is already on the line with Tebow attempting to convince him to make a positional switch to linebacker in order to compete with Ellerbe, Wheeler, Dion Jordan and Jelani Jenkins.

I mean, Ireland has spent the entire offseason on both knees in front of Stephen Ross, so he might as well lift one up and pull a Tebow while he’s down there.

Fisher is listed on the official Chiefs roster as “Offensive Line”, which probably means he will be RT for this year, Albert will be LT and you will sign Winston and then release him just like the last two teams did.

When he played there, Jonathan Martin was at least Jake Long’s equal on the left side last year, with occasional flashes of being his superior. Long’s been a great player, but he’s regressed a lot. Tackle is a need, but I don’t buy into any of the panicking about it.

Either they’ll get Albert at a price they’re comfortable with (they’d already have him if they were willing to overpay), or they’ll sign Winston, or they’ll let Thomas and Yeatman battle and give the left tackle job over to Martin officially. It’s not as dire a situation as some seem to believe.

First of about Winston there is a reason why he is still a free agent and a reason why he’s a right tackle and so cheap. Don’t you think if he was any good all the teams that tried him out would of signed him. And you guys have Jonathan Martin another right tackle so you geniuses over there in Miami can go forward with this two and see how long tannehil will last and how much time you have to use all that money u spent in free agency. Also it’s a rumor I’ve heard when Winston was released that he has no power left in his right arm and being a right tackle it kind of makes u useless and 3 or 4 mill isn’t much for a good right tackle but that’s not him and that’s why Miami has a chance to still get him. I’ve heard Winston would be hard pressed to even pass a physical this year but if you guys think your rookie g/t or Winston are the answer you all are sadly mistaken.

Secondly the whole deal about an injury prone old washed up no good tackle that doesn’t deserve 8 mil a year is a joke. He is playing just fine for all the quarterback kc has had in and out since he’s been there. And when you talk about this season when kc didn’t have a lead and lost 14 games you talk about them always needing to pass especially in the 4th quarter and teams knowing that’s what they are going to do. So in 13 games protecting the blindside of the skedish and scared qbs this season Albert only allowed one sack. And the old issue, he is 28 years old since when is that washed up I’m sorry for you people that don’t know football but that is called your prime and he’s only asking for a 4 year deal which is great for a team cuz that’s your 3 or 4 best years of football. Now the injuries he’s missed 7 games in his entire career and none in college and has played in 72. In my opinion that’s pretty good for someone who is that big faces the quickest and best at the position at left tackle and getting hit in his back and the beg of there legs. And this season he’s missed 3 games at the end of the season when kc was 1-12 and Stephenson our 3rdround pick played well for us at left tackle all 3 games and why rush someone as important as your left tackle back during a lost season and a good back up. In conclusion only paying a guy like this the average a left tackle gets in this league and only having to give up a 2nd for him is crazy I hope Albert and fisher become Reid’s next runyan and tra Thomas but even better

The bottom line is the Chiefs are over a barrel with Albert. His franchise tag number is eating so much of their cap that they won’t be able to even sign their rookie class without getting other guys on the roster to restructure their deals. They NEED to unload him. Plus, whatever team trades for him has to be willing to meet his $8 to 9 million asking price. They’ve been shopping him for weeks and noone other than the dolphins even showed interest. Other teams that may have been buyers (Cardinals, Lions, Chargers) all made moves in the draft to shore up their lines.

Mark my words – the Dolphins will end up with him, for 2014 pick. My bet is that it will be no higher than a 3rd rounder… which would equate to a 4th rounder in this year’s draft (general consensus is you’d rather have the immediate pick – so an equivalent pick next year would have to be a round higher).

Ireland is schooling the Chiefs. Their asking price was too high. He didn’t blink. Unless they get more reasonable (which they’ll have no choice but to do), he will go another direction.

Haha the chiefs are just fine with salary cap rookie don’t cost what they use to and they didn’t have a 2nd round pick and if they signed him to a contract they’d free up 2 mil or more so no the dolphins will need to pay a 2nd plus for a good left tackle in his prime. And to the comment above ur not too bright why the hell would kc get rid of Albert for a third if we can just keep a good football player and if we lose him next year we will get a 3rd round compensatory pick so try again dolphins would be lucky to get Albert for a 2nd

And Ireland go the other way like a right tackle in Winston or Martin? They are right tackles for a reason. Oh I know like your rookie tackle that some experts thought he’s a guard at the next level. What was he like your number 20 offensive tackle in the draft get real dolphins fans need to beg Ireland to do this trade cuz with all your faith in tannehil hell become the next David Carr and get sacked 50 times a year and never amount to anything but an ok back up

Haha I’m getting a bunch of thumbs down this must be on the dolphins sites too cuz the only reason why people don’t like the truth and facts about what they are trying to debate is when your on the other side and want Albert to sign a 4 mill a year deal and give away a 3rd ya you guys can dream but I’m trying to tell you guys have a shot at a quality left tackles that’s in his prime with no huge injuries just few games and spread out so be happy you might find your blindside protector for the next 4-5 years for a 2nd rounder

I say Ireland needs to move on from this trade. Slide Martin to the left and sign Winston for a year than find your new RT next year.

I commend Ireland for sticking to his guns. It is obvious that the Chiefs really wants to trade Albert or the talks wouldn’t have lasted this long but prolonging the trade will do no good. The longer it takes for this trade to happen the more it favors the Chiefs and the Chiefs knows this. If I was Ireland I would give them one last chance to accept my offer than I would move on.

Let me spell this out for all the KC fans who think their team has any leverage in this matter:
1) The ‘Phins are probably the only team looking for a LT that has the cap space to sign Albert (either name another or don’t bother responding);
2) KC blundered in franchising Albert in the first place. He’s not worth FT money* and all he has to wait out the year, get paid his $9+ million, and he can hit FA next year. That means he has little incentive to lower his price, while at the same time, I don’t see any other team paying him that much. If you think Ireland would, you haven’t been paying attention.
3) On the other hand, if KC hadn’t franchised Albert, either KC would have signed him for much less or another team would have signed and KC could have maximized whatever compensatory draft pick they would get for him by not being big players in FA (which, IIRC, they did anyway this year) and rolling over the cap money they saved until next year. It probably would have been only a 4th rounder in such a scenario, but that’s probably higher than what they will get if (more likely “when”) they have to let him walk next year and they would get it in 2014 instead of 2015.
4) ‘Phins still have other options to fill LT position, namely Martin who now has a year of pro experience and reportedly has bulked up some. Clabo/Winston/possibly some June 1 cuts might be signed to handle RT. As to why Ireland would still be talking to KC unless he was confident in Martin: it costs him nothing to listen to KC’s offer and gives him leverage (as in he realizes they would be cheaper than trading for Albert, but he’s keeping that option open if they don’t want to agree to his terms) in contract negotiations.

*I’m sure some may be tempted to retort that Starks isn’t worth FT money either, but 1) that’s irrelevant to the conversation; 2) FT money is slightly less for DT than LT; 3) ‘Phins are in way better cap position to cover it anyway; and, 4) at least Starks can boast Pro Bowl honors, Albert, while above average, can’t.

And you guys make no sense with Albert he either gets traded for a 2nd or we keep a good left tackle have a pair a great tackles for one year and get the 3rd rounder for compensatory it’s not like he’s gunna give up 22 sacks in one year and become a 6th round comp I mean do u even know what 3rd round comps look like? They don’t have to be to bowl elite players I guarantee if we lose him next year we will be getting a 3rd for him

Exactly Andy Reid is creating his old school Jon runyan and tra Thomas and they went to the NFC championship 4 years in a row I mean its no Super Bowl but you got to be damn talented to do it that consistently and he never had a defense as great as this one and a running back like Charles he mite like he’s catching rbs in McCoy and Westbrook but he’s not seen someone who can catch well and run it for 200 yards with this line plus two tight end sets with big fasano and great run blocker kelce and someone to finally stretch the field in Donnie Avery and a special talent of blazing speed and big size of kniles Davis will have kc back to the number one rushing team in the league

The dream scenario is to keep Albert and wait till a playoff team or one fighting to get in losing their most important person and needs a left tackle and kc can then gain a late first round pick for him I mean if you were Philly in the middle of the season when their line was destroyed with injury or Green Bay who never had much depth at either tackle but draft Reilly Reiff to play left last year he suffered a season ender or Washington going to the playoffs with the best playmaking qb since Vick first came out but he can actually pass and has accuracy and all those hits and fighting through injuries and having not much but old farts and tackle left, you would deff trade your number 1 in the late 20s to save your qb block for your rb and go for the only reason why people play the game to win the superbowl

@spyder1127: Counterpoint: if you truly believe that keeping Albert would make KC that much better a football team, why are you aren’t you urging them to sign him to a long-term contract that adequately compensates for his contributions instead of wanting them trade him, even if it’s for a 1st rounder?
As for McKinnie and Albert, it costs the ‘Phins nothing to keep their options open and gives them leverage by not tipping their hand to let whoever Ireland may be targeting. Furthermore, assuming that they’re confident that Martin can handle the LT duties doesn’t rule out the possibility of them also thinking that they could obtain another player who could play it better and/or allow them flexibility as to where Martin plays. However, they have to analyze the cost vs. benefit in obtaining such a hypothetical player. Trading a first round (or even a second) pick and paying $9+million for a slightly above average LT does not meet such a criteria.

as a Phins fan….my dream scenario is that you keep Albert as well. Don’t want him….too expensive and overrated.

Other opportunities will present themselves moving forward. Martin was a left tackle in college protecting Andrew Luck. While mediocre at LT last year when Jake got injured, he has bulked up and should be fine this year. Sign a RT, and with our draft pick….should be fine.

I’m not to worried because the got Donald Stephenson in the third last year although Albert is better ill take a second move fisher where he belongs and have Stephenson for the right. Or keep him get a third round compensatory if he leaves a first or 2d if there’s a major injury and although Stephenson one more year to grow into the right side cuz he’s a better left tackle

Plus chiefs free up 10 mil and still have a great line but not the best tackle tandem in the nfl but of course the dolphins fans think 9 mil is too much and 28 is too old cuz your so far off the Super Bowl if your a team going for the bowl or a chance at it a first or 2nd rounder and 9 mil on your cap for a year is prolly fine for anyone 1st if they are desperate or work out contract second if its just for this years nd like I said before if we keep and just lose him then Stephenson has an extra year more depth at the line either way the chiefs are fine because of depth and cap flexibility that’s all I’m trying to say while the dolphins try to put down a 28 yr old that only missed 7 games and has protected some of the most skedish qbs and still has been a great left tackle and left tackles make the pro bowl when their qb has a great season and that’s y Albert isn’t a probowler I mean Vince young made the pro bowl now look where he is

Deof Movestofca: I think most of us Chiefs fans would like to sign Albert to a long term deal, but with Fisher in the fold, he would have to either play RT or guard, which he is (currently) refusing to do. Albert is a very solid LT (not elite by any means), but could be a great RT or a dominate guard. Right now, he is just delusional about what he wants to get paid and refuses to make the move that could help elevate the team to a contender.

@jburnabtnh: “Right now, he is just delusional about what he wants to get paid….” Which is exactly why it would be a bad trade for the ‘Phins, because I don’t see the trade magically curing him of his delusion. They would be paying $9+million and giving up a 2nd (or 1st according to some KC fans) draft pick in 2014 for essentially a stop-gap LT who would likely leave next year (or get overpaid again) and in return get only a possible 3rd/4th round comp pick in 2015. As much as I can understand KC fans wanting a high-round pick for him and will even admit that in the right circumstances, they might find a play-off contending team willing to sacrifice such a pick, I don’t understand their insistence that Ireland should be the GM who makes their fantasies come true.

The fact that KC has been dangling Albert out there for weeks, looking for takers, pretty much fractures the relationship between him and the Chiefs. No way he is going to want to go back and play for them at his highest level after being hung out as obvious trade bait.

No doubt this story will end with Albert either playing for KC while pouting, or being traded to a team who gives the Chiefs much less compensation than they are currently seeking.

Latest news is that it looks like the Fins are moving on. Between his asking price and the delusional Chiefs, he’s just not worth it.

Yes that would be true but if kc signs him then he gets what he wants and will play his hardest or if kc keeps him or anyone else gets him on his current one year deal which he wants long term average left tackle salary which is between 7-8 mil which isn’t crazy it’s fair and if Albert were to stay then wed get a compensatory pick more depth and a great football player and u would think that would fracture the relationship but you forget he’s still on a one year deal so he will play harder then his hardest cuz he’s in his prime and should receive his best contract and will play his butt off for kc to sign him long term or to make his money in free agency next year